Marcel Maciel Degollado, 87, founder of the Legionaries of Christ was buried last week in his birthplace, Cotija de la Paz in south central Mexico. It seems to have been all done on the quiet. No letter of papal condolence.
This man was a supporter of Franco, he was hospitalised for drug addiction in 1956.
Many ex Legionaries have come forward alleging they were sexually abused by him.
In 1998 victims of Maciel took their case to Rome. Pope John Paul defended Maciel by treating the case as if it did not exist.
In 2004 Cardinal Ratzinger ordered the investigation that led to Maciel's 'demotion'.
The author of this blog lived in Rome between 1974 and 1976.It was my first time to meet members of the Legionaries of Christ. It was a truly astonishing experience. These young men all dressed in identical nonsensical clerical clothing. They all seemed to lack any individual identity. They spouted out words and cliches that were bizarre and meant nothing, at least to me.
I can still remember one day at a lecture, listening and observing a group of these men and clearly saying to myself there has to be something odd here.
It seemed as if their minds had been taken from them and they were spouting out clerical nonsense.
These men took vows never to criticise Maciel or their superiors.
Just two summers ago I bumped into another group of Legionaries, this time in West Kerry, and it was more or less, the same old story again.
Is it not astonishing that a religious congregation founded by a man about whom there have been many serious allegations of sexual misconduct can go on its merry way.
Back in 1974 it was as clear as day to me that there was something seriously wrong here. It is not just the sexual madness but it is the link between all that 'stuff' and a mad 'conservative' 'holier than thou' attitude that must be the issue here.
These young men, everyone of them, was dressed for the catwalk and looked ridiculous. Shakespears has something to say about the clothes we wear.
I have spent the last ten years working in the media business and when I compare the 'Roman gentlemen' with the young men with whom I work it is as clear as day that all is not in order. And it is not exclusive to the Legionaries of Christ.
The 1974 experience left me with no doubt that there was something seriously wrong with the way a particular type of clerical grouping looks at the world. And I now believe that the papacy of John Paul II has helped make the 'clerical situation' more serious.
On the occasion of his death the press office of the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi movement descdibed Maciel as an 'instrument of God'.
As The Tablet points out, Maciel is dead, but his congregation soldiers on.
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6 comments:
In one fell swoop you've thrashed the Legionaries. Well done. Arent you the great fellow!
It is most interesting the type of comments that are made by people who wish to remain anonymous. It certainly is the stuff of an interesting article.
From this may I exclude the person who made the second comment last week. I can understand why he/she remained anonymous and because of the world we live in, it makes sense. But the comment here is simply par for the course of the world of anonymity.
It was originally decided not to allow anonymous comment. That policy has not been adhered to. Maybe allowing anonymous comments is not a wise idea.
There is a sadness about the anonymous person.
Theres more sadness in fact in the way you go about slating people and organisations in the manner that you do....with no care or concern for the individuals involved.
As regards anonymity, there is no way that I would want to expose myself to you. You would not want to communicate with someone like me. It would be futile trying to have any 'honest' and 'open' debate that you call for. It would only be a further vehicle for you to take people's character away.
I think you should go on letting us see the anonymous comments, Michael. As you mentioned, there are exceptions, but most of them reveal themselves as the spiteful cowards they are through their utterances. Keep up the good work!
Francis Hunt
Anyone who reads the last two comments here will be left in no doubt about how awful being anonymous is.
Of course the dreadful virus exists in every aspect of life. But I can't help but think that elements within church organisations seem to thrive on anonymity.
Inappropriate secrecy and all that goes with it is the oxygen which seems to give life to so much dreadful behaviour.
Certainly, Mr Anonymous it really is not wise to speak on my behalf.
And, Francis Hunt thank you for being not anonymous
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